Noiseless spring-mounted truck assembly for roller skates



June 19, 1951 wlNTERcORN 2,557,331

NOISELESS SPRING-MOUNTED TRUCK ASSEMBLY FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed Oct. 16, 1948' 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Amer-z whim-corn June 19, 1951 A. WINTERCORN NOISELESS SPRING-MOUNTED TRUCK ASSEMBLY FOR ROLLER SKATES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 16, 1948 3mm fllberl il z'zzfercorn Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOISELESS SPRING-MOUNTED TRUCK ASSEMBLY FOR ROLLER SKATES 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to roller skates, and has for its primary object the provision of an improved roller skate having spring-mounted ground wheel assemblies whereby shocks occasioned by the passage of the wheels over uneven or rough surfaces will be absorbed within the skate, rather than being transmitted to the feet of the skater.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved shock-absorbing skate which embodies individual pairs of truck assemblies which may be readily adjusted with respect to the foot-attaching base plate of the skate, so as to at all times maintain the truck assemblies in true longitudinal alignment with the foot of a skater.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a skate of the character described which embodies a pair of truck assemblies arranged in fore and aft positions with respect to a fiat base plate, with the truck assemblies being provided with wheel-carrying frames arranged respectively in outwardly inclined disposition toward the forward and rear ends of the skate, thereby providing an increased wheel base without disturbing the gravitational balance of the skate, and at the same time providing for increased stability for the feet of a skater.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a roller skate truck assembly which is spring-suspended from the associated base plate of the skate, and which is pivotally connected therewith in a manner to provide for limited tilting movement of the wheel-carrying truck assembly in a transverse plane with respect to the foot-receiving plate of the skate.

For a further and more detailed understanding of the present invention, and the various objects and advantages realized therefrom, reference is made to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a skate formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front end elevational view of the skate disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View taken through the outer wheel and wheel-carrying frame of the skate disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-e of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the front wheel truck assembly of a modified form of skate embodying the aspects of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken along the line lEil0 of Fig. 7, and disclosing the compression spring assembly used in the skate truck disclosed in Fig. 7.

With reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the present invention makes use of a flat base plate ll, whose plan configuration follows closely the proportions of the sole and heel portion of a shoe [2, except on a smaller scale. The

base plate I l is attached to the shoe 12 by means of a plurality of nuts and bolts I3 which extend through the sole of the shoe, substantially at the ball portion thereof, the base plate II, and a plurality of bearing blocks 54. The base plate II is similarly connected with the heel portion of the shoe l2 by means of nuts and bolts having a greater length than those used to connect the plate with the sole portion. Advantageously, the heads of the bolts are countersunk within the sole and heel portions of the shoe l2, so as not to cause unevenness or roughness within the interior of the shoe l2. Connected with the underside of the base plate 8 I, in spaced complemental relation to the bearing blocks, [4 are a second set of bearing blocks l5, whose connecting devices it do not extend through the sole or heel portions of the shoe 12, but terminate below the instep portion thereof. a

Each of the bearing blocks [4 and [5 are provided with opposed arcuate surfaces in which are formed complemented arcuate grooves l1. Closing the underside of the groove H are arcuate plates 58 which are attached to the blocks M by means of the bolts 13 and form the complemental lower edge thereof.

Positioned within the grooves I! of the blocks i l, and interlocking with the lower plate I8 is the grooved peripheral portion of an annular guide member or disc 19. The guide disc I9 is normally rotatably mounted within the blocks, and is provided with a centrally disposed opening or bore 26 formed with a longitudinally extending keyway 2!. The guide member or disc 59 is additionally formed on either side of its central region with recessed circular cavities 22 which provide spring-seating regions thereon. With particular reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that the disc 19 is maintained in vertically spaced relation to the bottom surface of the base plate II, in order to provide for limited sliding movement of a shaft 23, which is slidably mounted within the bore 20 of the disc, and is provided with a longitudinally extending key cooperative with the keyway provided in the bore. As will be seen, the shaft 23 is provided with an enlarged head portion 24 which functions to prevent the shaft from being withdrawn downwardly through the bore of the disc and which is cooperative with a recessed seat 25 formed at the upper end of the bore of the disc l9.

The shaft 23 forms the upper extremity of a transversely disposed wheel-carrying frame 26 which is provided with a longitudinally extending spring-seating member 27.

The spring-seating member 21 of the wheelcarrying frame 28 is formed upon its upper surface with circular cavities 28 which provide seating regions on either side of the shaft 23 for a pair of compression springs 29 connected between the seating regions of the disc 19 and the member 27.

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the compression springs 29 function to resiliently support the wheel-carrying frame and to resiliently bias movement of the frame in a direction toward the disc [9 and the base plate II.

The wheel-carrying frames 26 terminate toward their lower ends in transversely spaced sets of bearing supports 30, and are recessed between such supports to provide wheel-receiving cavities or recesses 3|.

Each of the supports of the wheel-carrying frames 26 are formed with transversely aligned screw-threaded openings 32 which receive cooperatively threaded bearing plugs 33 formed at one end with conical recesses 34, and at their opposite ends with hexagonal wrench-receiving sockets 35. Extending transversely through the bearing supports 30 of the frame are a plurality of set screws 36 for intersecting frictional engagement with the bearing plugs 33. The set screws 36 function to hold the plug 33 in a manner to prevent the same from backing out of the threaded openings 32 formed in the frame support.

' Rotatably received within each of the conical sockets of the bearing plugs 33 are the pointed ends of a screw-threaded hub 3'! which extends through the center of a ground wheel 38. In addition to the screw-threaded connection between the hubs 37 and the wheels 38, a pair of screw-threaded locking collars 327a are applied to the hubs 31 on either side of the individual wheels 38 to clamp the hubs within the wheels. Each of the collars, after application to the wheels, are securely fastened thereto by means of set screws 311) which occupy a pair of arcuate recesses formed at the peripheral edges of each collar. Preferably, the ground wheels are formed from a suitable wear-resistant bonded synthetic resin or from hard wood which is capable of receiving the screw-threaded hub and set screws. Thus, it will be seen that the bearing plugs 33 provide a relatively small jewel support for the individual ground wheels of the skate, and may be adjusted to varying degrees of tension with respect to the end projections of the hubs of the ground wheels to compensate for wear.

The rotatable guide discs l9 provide for adjustment of the wheel truck assemblies and frames into true longitudinal alignment with the axis of the base plate H, or in the event that the base plate I I is misaligned with respect to the shoe i2, the individual wheel trucks of the skate may be aligned in accordance with the desires and comfort of the skater.

To prevent rotational movement of the discs l9 and the truck assemblies, a frictional locking device is provided in the form of a screwthreaded bolt 39 having a tapered or wedgeshaped projection 40 which is frictionally insertable within the groove provided at the peripheral edge of the disc IS. The bolt 39 is received within a cooperatively threaded opening 4| formed in a depending bracket member 42 which is secured to the underside of the base plate H between the bearing blocks [4 and i5. Advantageously, the bolt 39 is provided with a set screw tensioning device 43 similar to the set screws utilized in frictionally holding the bearing plugs 33. Thus, by tightening the bolt 39 against the disc 19, the latter is prevented from rotating within the bearing block, and may be maintained in set or fixed alignment with respect to the base plate I l.

Figs. 7 through 9 of the drawings disclose a modified form of wheel truck assembly which embodies the base plate H and bearing blocks l4 and I5 and rotatable guide member or disc 19, identical to that previously outlined. This modified form of truck assembly, however, makes use of a relatively elongated upper spring-seating member 44 which is provided with a bore 45 forming a continuation of the bore of the rotatable disc [9. A guide shaft 46 is slidably carried within the bores of the disc 19 and the spring-seating member 44, and is provided with an enlarged head portion 41 to prevent withdrawal thereof from the bores of the disc and spring-seating members. The lower end of the shaft 46 is received within a chamber 48 provided within an enlarged central portion of a wheel-carrying frame 49. At its lower end, the shaft 4'6 terminates in a single flat link 50 which is pivotally connected between a bifurcated link 5| carried by the frame 49 by means of a pivot pin 52. The frame 49 is provided toward its lower end with a longitudinally extending springseating member 53 formed with a pair of vertically extending spring-retaining posts 54. Connected between the upper spring-seating member 44 and the lower member 53 are a pair of compression springs 55 which function in the manner of the previously described compression springs 29 to bias movement of the wheel-carrying frame 49 in a direction toward the base plate H.

' As will be seen particularly from Figs. 8 and 9. the chamber 48 of the wheel-carrying frame 49 is enlarged to one side so as to permit limited rocking movement of the wheel-carrying frame in one direction about the end of the shaft 46. Resiliently holding the frame against such rocking movement, is a contractible spring 56 connected between a projecting stud 51 carried upon the outer side of the frame, and the upper spring-retaining member 44. The contractible spring 56 serves to normally hold the frame 49 in parallel relationship to the base plate II,

but when the skater wishes to make a turn to-' ward the inside of the skate, a slight banking pressure upon the foot of the skater serves to rock the base plate and shaft about the pivotal axis provided by the pivot pin 52, while the frame and associated ground wheels are maintained in a flat position upon the ground or floor surface.

The wheel assembly of the modified form of truck assembly is identical to that previously described in connection with the form disclosed in Figs. 1 through 6 of the drawings, and bears identical reference numerals in this respect.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a roller skate construction which possesses improved shockabsorbing and stability characteristics. Roller skates formed in accordance with the present invention are highly desired by the professional skater as well as the novice due to their improved balance characteristics, their adaptability to figure skating, their comfort to the skater, and their quiet operation.

While preferred forms of the present invention have been disclosed in detail, it will be manifest that modifications dealing with constructional details are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate, a base plate for attachment to the sole of a shoe, a pair of spacer plates depending from said base plate, a circular guide member rotatably carried by said spacer plates in vertically spaced relation to said base plate said guide member being formed with a bore having a keyway therein, a shaft having a longitudinally extending key carried Within the bore of said guide member for longitudinal sliding movement therein, a wheel-carrying frame connected with said shaft below said guide member, and spring means connected between said guide member and said Wheel-carrying frame to bias movement of the latter toward said guide member.

2. In a roller skate, a shock-absorbing wheel assembly comprising a housing member, a guide member rotatably carried by said housing member, said guide member being formed with an open-ended bore, means engageable with said guide member to prevent rotation thereof within said housin member, a shaft having one end extending through the bore of said guide member and keyed therein for longitudinal sliding movement only, a frame carried at the opposite end of said shaft, spring means connected between said guide member and said frame to resiliently bias movement of said frame in a direction toward said guide member, and a pair of transversely spaced ground wheels rotatably carried by said frame.

3. In a roller skate, a flat base plate for attachment to the sole and heel portions of a shoe, a pair of spaced attachment blocks carried by and depending from said base plate, said blocks being formed with a pair of opposed arcuate surfaces formed with opposed arcuate grooves, an annular guide member formed with a peripheral lip portion rotatably carried within the grooves of said blocks, said guide member being formed with a centrally disposed open-ended bore, a headed shaft having an end portion slidably carried within the bore of said guide member, a wheel-carrying frame rigidly carried at the opposite end of said shaft resiliently compressible means carried between said guide member and said frame, and a pair of ground wheels rotatably carried in transversely spaced order by said frame.

ALBERT WINTERCORN.

REFERENCES CITED 2 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 307,840 Burton Nov. 11, 1884 316,342 Drifiill Apr. 21, 1885 319,839 Nelson June 9, 1885 1,018,512 Mees Feb. 27, 1912 2,195,348 Wiseley Mar. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 353,707 Germany May 24, 1922 

